Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-04-28
Horseshoe Turning Contest.
Chicago Times.

Several hundred people assembled
last night at battery D to witness horse
shoot turning contest between William
Armitage and Joseph Lawler, of the South
and West sides, respectively. Armitage is
a Canadian by birth, 81 years old, and
located in this city eighteen years ago.
He ownes shop on Cottage Grove
avenue. Lawler was born in Ireland, is
45 years OF age, came to this city five
years ago, and is at present employed in
the shop of Ed Jones in Thirteenth place,
near Blue Island avenue. Both are heavy
men weighing over 200 pounds each, but
Armitage is the most solidly knit and &C.
tive looking. The contest was for cash
prize of $3.50 and gold medal of the
value of $3.50, emblematic of the cham
pionship of America. About $50 o'clock
Parson Davies stepped to the front of
the large platform on which the FORCES
and anvils were placed, and announced
the rules by which the contest would be
governed, each side having selected a
Judge who was to examine the work of
the other. Mr.. Davies announced that
John Trainor, one of the Oldest and best
known shoers in the city, had been select
ed as referee. Each of the contestants
was allowed five assistants. All being
now in readiness, time was called at
S:4111s minutes, Ind both parties leaped
to their work with an earnestness Thioh
tagged not for an instant during the en-
tire contest, and with an apparent deter
mination to beat the record. At once
sparks from the glowing iron commenced
to leap around the Vulcans and their help
ers and ere many minutes had elaps-
ed sweat poured down in streams from the
faces of all. But no time was spent in
wiping it away; every motion of every
muscle was utilized for the single pur-
pose of making red hot horse shoes.
Neither was grace of action considered
nor the musical ringing of the anvils. It
was all resoIute work. Each had to turn
one hundred shoes.
Armitege made one hundred half shoes
before he completed any one, while Law
Ter completed his shoes as he went along.
Every now and then cheer for one Or
the other arose, which was Immediately
followed by inquiries what it meant, and
as to who was ahead. Plainly the large
MAJ ority of the audience could tell moth
ing about it, and bets were made on the
merest speculation.
So it went on until Lawler threw aside
his last shoe and jumped two Or three
times in the air as sign that he had fin
ished and won. Armitage then stopped
work. The judges proceeded to count
and examine the shoes, and found that
Lawler had made but ninety seven,
while Armitage had only completed
eighty nine, with several half-fnished
ones in the forge.
"The work of NEITHER" said Referee
Trainor, is-up to the mechanical require
ments of the rules governing such q
contest, but LAWYERS average is the
best"
Mr.. Davies then announced that Law
Ter haa won the contest-$250 cash-and
presented him with the championship
medal.
He then announced that Armitage had
completed the first fifty shoes, and wa:
thereby entitled to the ownership of g
wise, which had also been competed
for.
After this rush was made for the plat
form, everyone being anxious to secure
one of the horseshoes. Why Lawler hao
not made one hundred shoes the required
number is accounted for by the fact thai
his helper at the forge had burned three
in the heating.
Armitage attributes his defeat to the
fact that his most efficient helper gave
out at the time when he was ahead, and
from that time on he had to work cold
IRON" The time occupied by Lawler wa
one hour and six minutes, which was low
ering the record, the best time hereto
fore made being one hour and twelve
minutes.